The Streptococci make up a medically important genera of microbes known to cause several types of disease in humans, including, for example, otitis media, conjunctivitis, pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis, sinusitis, pleural empyema and endocarditis, and most particularly meningitis, such as for example infection of cerebrospinal fluid. Since its isolation more than 100 years ago, Streptococcus pneumoniae has been one of the more intensively studied microbes. For example, much of our early understanding that DNA is, in fact, the genetic material was predicated on the work of Griffith and of Avery, Macleod and McCarty using this microbe. Despite the vast amount of research with S. pneumoniae, many questions concerning the virulence of this microbe remain. It is particularly preferred to employ Streptococcal genes and gene products as targets for the development of antibiotics.
Infections caused by or related to Streptococcus pneumoniae are a major cause of human illness worldwide, and the frequency of resistance to standard antibiotics has risen dramatically over the last decade. Hence, there exists an unmet medical need for diagnostic tests and reagents for this organism.
Clearly, there exists a need for polynucleotides and polypeptides, such as the metRS2 embodiments of the invention that have a present benefit of, among other things, being useful to as diagnostic reagents. Such reagents are also useful to determine the frequency and geographical range of microbial strains.